Missing You
by bobsytwins
Summary: For all of you Gale fans, this is the story for you. This is just our take about on how Gale copes without Katniss while she is at the Hunger Games. If you are team Peeta or a Gadge fan, don't read this. Well, I mean you can, but this is a Galeniss story so…. Also, we are bad at ratings so we just made it T for Hunger Games.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, this is our first fanfic. Sorry for the short chapter, we will try to make them longer. Reviews and comments are much appreciated, and any ideas for this story or our next one are certainly helpful. :)**

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Chapter 1

It's been three weeks since Katniss left. My daily haul is much smaller now that she's gone, and the hollow feeling in my chest expands every single day I go without her. I watch her every day on the screens, and the more I see her, the more I miss her and want her to come home. And every time I see her kiss Peeta, the more in love with her I realize I am. I trudge home, the warm balmy air blanketing over my skin. My snares were less successful than usual; I have only managed to pull three rabbits. As I approach my ramshackle home, the muscles in my face begin to relax. I know that Posy will want to see me smiling, and if I come home with a scowl on my face, Vick and Rory will surely bother me about it. I shove the busted door open, feeling guilty about not fixing it earlier like my mother told me to. Frankly, I feel like I can barely do anything without Katniss around.

"Gale! You're here! We've been waiting for you," my mother chirps. I give her a curt nod of the head, because I don't trust myself to speak without bursting into tears. I make a small choking sound when she leaves. I'm glad I got that out of my system, I don't need anyone seeing me cry. I never cry in front of anyone. When my father was blown to bits in the mine explosion, I didn't cry until I got home. I shut the door tightly and curled up into a ball, silently sobbing until there were no more tears to shed. Posy emerges from her room, hobbling over to me. She wraps her arms around my legs and says, "Gale will you play dolls with me?" Really, I'd rather do anything but play dolls, but I love Posy too much to say no to her. "Ok Posy." She grabs my hand, warming up my icy ones.

She leads me to her room, where she already has some dolls laying on the floor. I sit down next to her, smiling weakly. She holds up one doll, its hair chopped at uneven short lengths. "This one has short hair because I wanted to make it a boy. This one will be you," she explains. Despite my sadness, I chuckle at her attempt to make the doll look like a guy. She holds up another one with brown hair tucked into a dusty yellow bonnet. "This one will be Katniss. The Katniss doll and the Gale doll will be in love." I can feel the tears well up in my eyes. I can't help but burst into tears. Posy drops the dolls at once. "Gale, what's wrong? I thought you loved Katniss," she says. "I do Posy!" Her face twists in confusion. My tears are now steadily rolling down my cheeks. I hug my knees and try to make myself as small as possible. Posy crawls over to me, obviously distraught by my sudden emotional out burst. She reaches out and tries wiping the tears off my eyes with a doll bonnet. "Gale please don't cry. Don't be sad," she says. I slowly get up and walk out of her room. I'm supposed to protect Posy, she can't see me cry. She'll think I'm weak. She's too impressionable.

I flop down on my bed and fumble around with my shoes. It takes me almost five minutes to get them off because the tears in my eyes are obscuring my vision. Warm tears cascade down my cheeks as I start desperately gasping for air. I try to keep quiet so my family won't hear me, but I have a coughing fit as my breath gets caught in my throat. I hear mumbling from the kitchen. Posy must have told my mother what happened. After a minute, my tears have reduced to silent gasping and my face seems to have contorted into what must look like a dying animal. "Gale?" My mother says quietly. I don't respond, mainly because I can't manage to make an audible and clear sentence what with all of my sobbing. She sits down and places my head on her lap, just like she used to when I was younger.

She starts stroking my hair and I see the pained look in her eyes. "Tell me what's wrong baby." It hurts me to see her like this, and it pains me even more knowing that this is because of me. "I…love…her…but she...doesn't…love...me," I sputter. My body is racked with sobs once more. My mother continues stroking my hair until I cry myself out. It takes me about another hour or so until all of the tears have left my body. I want her to stay with me until I fall asleep, and she does.

When I wake up, I find myself tucked into bed with layers of blankets cocooned around my body. I start to panic, because the thought of being trapped in piles of blankets terrifies me. I begin to thrash around, unable to get the sheets of my body. I think it's when I start screaming my mother runs in. I finally manage to throw off the stack of blankets as she rushes to my side. "Gale! What's wrong?" I start to feel my mouth curl upwards in a sheepish grin. "Nothing, I just…the blankets…" My voice trails off as the memories of yesterday rush through me. I feel like lead is running through my veins, my whole body feels heavy. The cold of my reality reaches into my chest and tugs on my already weak heart. "Honey do you need some time alone?" she asks, getting up to leave. "Yeah, I guess," I say half-heartedly. Truthfully, I want anything but to be alone. I need someone to be there for me. Someone to hold on to. Someone to fill up the empty void that Katniss left in my heart. But I let her leave. I have been enough trouble anyway. Once she leaves, I feel my cheeks. Damp and warm. I must have been crying in my sleep. The battered gray shutters are tightly drawn, so I can't even tell what time it is.

After about half an hour of staring at the ceiling and sulking, I decide to get up. I trudge through the living room and sling my game bag over my shoulder. I don't bother telling my mother I'm leaving. I don't even bother talking to anyone right now.

It takes a while to adjust to the light. It's sharp and pierces my eyes, forcing me to squint. I head to the Everdeen's to make sure Prim and her mother are eating. I promised Katniss that I wouldn't let them starve. I always give them half of my daily haul, and apparently the baker is giving them bread. But its hard to fill the hollowness in your stomach when you miss someone you love.

I rap at the door, and Prim greets me with a smile. There is fresh bread at the table, and they still have the two rabbits I gave them a little while back. Her mother offers me tea, and I accept gratefully. The warm heat from the metal cup leeches into my fingers, and even though its burns, I clutch it tightly. "Gale, are you alright?" Prim asks. "What?" I am temporarily distraught; I have been so focused on my tea. I look down at my hands. My knuckles are white from clutching the tea so tightly, and my hands keep shaking. Its not even cold, but I'm shivering. "Gale, I miss her too," Prim says. I look at her. How much she's grown amazes me. Her blue eyes are glossy with tears. Without hesitation, I pull her into a warm embrace. I hold her tightly, and whisper in her ear, "Everything is going to be alright. She'll be coming home soon, I promise." She just nods her head in response, and I plant a kiss on top of her head. I gulp down my tea, the warm fluid snaking down my stomach. It leaves a trail of heat in its path. I stand up, and walk towards the door. Prim waves goodbye, and I give a curt nod of my head.

I leave the squat home, heading to the meadow. I flatten out on my belly, crawling under the fence. The air is sweet with the smell of blackberries and summer life. The trees are bursting with bright green leaves, and the sun is warming up my skin. My insides heat up with joy. I head to the hollow log where Katniss keeps her bow. I peel off the waterproof cover. I clutch the bow tightly. I think its been five minutes, because my hand are white from squeezing it so tightly. I feel color rush into my cheeks; I'm growing attached to an inanimate object. But that's the thing. When you miss someone you truly love, you'll do anything you can to salvage your relationship, even when you know it's a lost cause. You'll lie to yourself just to make yourself feel better, even though you know in the back of your mind there's nothing you can do. You want to go back in time; It seems as though redoing five minutes can give you back what you lost. Maybe these things, Katniss' bow, the dolls, are the things that are keeping me sane, not the things that are driving me over the edge. I know there's still love here. But I also know that it belongs to Peeta now.

I sling the bow over my shoulder. It's a little small, but I feel like I have a part of Katniss with me, so I ditch my bow for hers. I walk to the strawberry patch Katniss showed me a few years back. Katniss' presence here overwhelms me. I remember the hot summer days we would come here, and with sheen of sweat on her forehead, she would pick the strawberries with me. The bushes are heavy with the red fruit, and the thick smell of strawberries blankets around me. Many memories of Katniss linger here, hanging from vines in my memory like strawberries on a bush. I keep walking, because this is just upsetting me more.

I keep walking, staring down at my feet as I walk. I get to the part of the woods where all of the roots from the trees stick out. All of the moss on the roots and bark gives this place a hazy glow, and secretes a musky smell. This is the spot where Katniss twisted her knee when she was thirteen. I smile at the memory. She was so stubborn, and tried to walk home by herself, but I wanted to carry her. And that's what I did.

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**Whew! First chapter done! The next one will be the memory of Katniss twisting her knee. I will try to post the next chapter today, but it might come out tomorrow. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow chapter 2 already. Sorry for the short chapter. Again. And thank you to all of my friends who have been supporting me :) I have never written fanfic before, so thank you for being so kind. Thanks you guys!**

**Oh and BTW this is the memory of Katniss twisting her knee and Gale carrying her home. It was briefly mentioned in the book, and I wanted it to be explored in more detail.**

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Chapter 2

"Careful, don't trip," I say flatly. "I know, I won't," she responds. We keep trudging along. Today was a slightly better day than usual; Katniss and I have managed to take down a few rabbits. It was pretty hot outside, but the woods were bursting with summer life. We were in the part of the woods with all of the roots and dead logs sticking out of the ground, and I know from experience that it is really easy to trip and fall. The damp ground gave the air a dank sort of smell. We remain silent as to not scare the near by game. But it was partly because we really couldn't think of anything to say. I take note of her cracked lips and offer her some water, but she just shakes her head. "You know Katniss, we can't just ignore each other all the time," I begin. "Lets just keep walking," she interrupts. I barely knew this girl, but I felt this weird attachment to her. It was like this sort of feeling when you know you've found your best friend. I've never been good at making friends, but it seems like Katniss and I have this bond glued together by the need to feed our families. And there is this other feeling that is glowing in between us. And even though none of us say it, we both seem to know its there. I shake the thought away. I can't afford to think like that. I need to think about my family and the reaping soon approaching.

I stare straight ahead, stony faced and lacking emotion. I use it as a mask that only Katniss can seem to look through. I hear a loud thump, and my head snaps to the side. I find Katniss on the ground clutching her knee. "I kind of fell…" her voice trails off. I can tell she's trying to be strong, but I can see the pain in her sharp grey eyes. I drop our things at once and crouch down next to her. I curse under my breath. "Now look what you did Catnip," I say.

She rolls her eyes at me. I gently reach out to touch her knee to see if its broken, but she flinches away. "I need to see if you broke something," I say. I reach out again, but she grabs my wrist. "No Gale, I'm fine." I almost saw her wince through her words. "Stop being difficult. I need to see if you broke your knee," I reply. She doesn't respond, which I take as an ok to touch her knee. I feel around in her knee, trying to see if there was a break. "Ow, Gale quit it!" she says. I reach for her knee again, extra gentle. Relieved there is nothing broken, I say, "Well, you probably just twisted your knee," I say. She seems to be annoyed. After an uncomfortable amount of silence, I say, "Lets get you home so your mother can fix you up." She nods her head in assent, and begins to stand up, only to be slump back down onto the ground. "Easy, easy. What do you think you're doing?" I say. "Um, standing up," she says as if its obvious. I shake my head and smile. "Not on that knee you're not."

"Gale, I can walk home myself," she says. I stand up and look at her for a moment, and she just glares at me. "Well, are you going to help me up or not?" I chuckle. "Yeah, yeah," I reach out my hand. She takes it hesitantly, and then tries to pull herself up. After a few tries, she manages to stand with wobbly knees, her weight shifted to her uninjured leg. I admire her determination, but her stubbornness can be pretty annoying. "This is stupid," she she huffs. "You know what, just, here," I pick her up and grab our things. "Gale?" she says. "Yup?" I respond. "Put me down before I punch you in the face," she says. Now it's my turn to roll my eyes. "Katniss, you can't walk home. It's almost three miles. Let me carry you," I say. "No, I'm walking," she says. I ignore her complaints and keep moving.

After a while, she stops struggling. She then just stays there quietly, staring at me intently. "Can I help you?" I say. "No, um…I just wanted to, you know…thank you," she fumbles. "Its ok," I say. She nods her head, and leans back into my chest. We get to the stream, and I scan the area, looking for a way to cross without hurting her. I curse under my breath, and Katniss seems to take notice. "I can try to walk now. My knee feels a little better," she begins. Usually we would just wade through the stream, or cross the set of rocks. But the current seems like it would hurt her knee, and I don't trust her to step on the rocks slick with moss. I decide the best option is that I wade through while carrying her. I start to walk into the water. It's cold and makes me shiver, but the sun will surely bake me dry. About halfway through the stream, Katniss yells, "Hey look a turkey!" It startles me so much I lose my footing and fall down into the stream with her still in my arms. She just laughs. "Just kidding, there was no turkey," she begins. As much as I want to stay mad at her for getting us wet, I can't. I suppress as smile, but I can't stop it as it begins to from on my face.

"What about your knee?" I begin. She just rolls her eyes. "It only hurts a little. I'm stronger than you think you know," I smile and stand up. "Lets go before you catch a cold," I begin. "You're the one dropped me," she interrupts. "You're the one who made me fall," I say with a laugh. I scoop her up, but I guess I do it to roughly because she winces in pain. "Sorry," I begin. "Don't be sorry, you're the one who has been carrying me for two miles," she says.

Damp and cold, we continue down to the fence. The rest of the walk home seems to have a lighter mood. We talk and joke around most of the time, and once we reach the fence, we are dry and in good sprits. She manages to crawl under the fence on her own, and I carry her though the grey seam until we reach her home. I ignore the strange stares from the people, because right now, it doesn't seem like anything could ruin the mood for me.

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**Chapter 2 is finished. Jeez, I really need to try and make ****these chapters longer. I read fanfic all the time and the chapters are always so dang long! Chapter 3 will probably come out sometime this week. Thanks for your support guys!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3! Yay! I am so sorry I have been making the chapters so short. But rest assured, they will get longer. But I just had to end the chapter at this part and once you get to it you will see why. I would also like to give a shout out to my fellow whale sister Janice, (population 2). You have been really supportive and I really appreciate it. I can't thank you enough. Thanks!**

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Chapter 3

I quickly shake the thoughts from my head. "_That's enough fantasizing about Katniss for now," _I tell myself. I have been paying so little attention to my surroundings I haven't caught anything. Not that it matters anyway. We still have some game back home. But the idea of coming home empty handed seems to bother me more than it should, so I focus more on the task at hand. I come across a rabbit, and I take it down quickly. It's a little bit harder with Katniss' bow since it's so small, but I really want to use it. I usually enjoy hunting, but with Katniss it seems more like a chore. I place the bow in a hollow log, carefully sliding the waterproof cover on. Once I have reached the fence, I have 1 rabbit and 3 squirrels. I make a mental note to give one of the squirrels to the baker. I want to give the bread to Prim and her mother.

I crawl under the scraggly fence, and start to make my way back to the bakers. I focus on the coal dust in the cracks in my shoes, and silently move forward. I surprisingly come across Madge, the mayor's daughter. Her golden hair is pulled back with a ribbon, and she is wearing a white dress with laces all over it. I find her an absolute snob, but she's a friend of Katniss', so I try to be polite around her. "Hi Gale," she says softly. "Uh, hi Madge," I say stiffly. Different sets of emotions flicker across her face. I think she is trying to think of something to say, so I fill the gap of silence. "Did you give Katniss the pin?" She nods her head. "That was nice of you. I'm glad she has something from home," I begin. Her blue eyes look full of sorrow, and sometimes else I can't quite figure out. She looks intently at me for a while, and as I'm about to turn around and leave she presses her lips to mine. I stumble back, shocked. I am too stunned to move. But before I can do anything, she pulls away and leaves. I don't know what to feel. Flattered, happy, in love? All I seem to feel is anger.

I continue to the bakery, trying to shake the recent events out of my mind. My cheeks are probably red, and when I feel them, they are hot. I have never liked Madge, and I never will. My heart only has room for Katniss. I don't want Madge thinking I like her, because I bet she thinks I kissed her back. I think of Katniss. She was never the jealous type, and she doesn't even like me in that way, so it doesn't matter. But I still feel dirty. I didn't enjoy it, so maybe it doesn't count. A scowl wedges deeper into my face as I push the door open. The scent of bread overwhelms me. The bakery has always been one of my favorite places. The warm, happy glow that this place emits seems to make me forget all of my problems. I walk over to the counter. The baker is standing there, looking solemn. His dusty blond hair falls over his blue-gray eyes. Streaks of grey accent the waves of blonde. I remember that his son is at the Hunger Games. I show him the squirrel, and he nods his head.

His wife isn't here, so I'm not in a hurry to leave. She has never really liked me, but really, she doesn't like anyone. He gives me three loaves of bread. I raise my eyebrows. "This much? I only need one," I say. He doesn't say anything. He just places the loaves in my hand, and takes the squirrel. Before I can mutter a thank you, he disappears into the back of the bakery. The bread warms up my arms, and I clutch them tighter, happy for the warmth. I feel kind of bad for taking this much only for a squirrel, so I leave 3 coins on the table for him.

I walk to the Everdeen's, and give them one of the loaves of bread. Prim takes it gratefully. I head out the door, starting my way home. Its close to evening now, and a pink haze paints the sky. Once I reach my house, I am surprised to see Posy standing alone in the living room. She looks really upset, and it pains me to see her this way. I push my emotions and problems to the side, leaving my attention and care for only her. I crouch next to her. I don't really know what to say, so I just wait for her to speak. "I'm sorry for making you cry Gale," she says softly. Tears brim her soft eyes. I give her a toothy grin. "Oh Posy you didn't make me cry, I just missed Katniss a little that's all," I say reassuringly. She wraps her arms around my neck, and I lift her up, holding her close. "Ok, I just didn't want you to be sad at me," she begins. "Never," I tell her. She nods her head and smiles. It breaks my heart to see Posy upset, so I'm relieved to see her feeling better. I sit down in our rickety rocking chair, with her on my lap. She leans into me, and I stroke her dark brown curls.

Eventually, her soft breathes even out, and her eyes flutter closed. Once she is sleeping, I notice how long her eyelashes are. They are dark and thick, and I wonder how they don't get tangled every time she blinks. I slowly lift her up, and carry her to her room. I place her gently on the bed, and tuck her in. I plant a kiss on her forehead, and leave the room, with the thought of Katniss still fresh in my mind. I see my mother, Rory and Vick outside in the yard, so I sit down on the couch. I turn on the t.v. That's when I see Katniss running from the mutts.

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**Ok, chapter 4 coming soon. It will be posted this week, and I will make it longer than the other chapters. Thanks guys!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, sorry for taking such a long time to update! With Easter coming up, and my epic writers block, I haven't been able to update as quickly as I would want to. I've already reached 200 views! I'm so happy! Thanks for the support guys!**

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My eyes widen in fear, and I am not even capable of making any sound. I sit down on the grey couch. I clutch the edges of the old cushion with shaky hands. She is trying to climb the cornucopia, and Peeta is helping her up. For once, I'm happy he's there to help her.

One of the mutts grabs his leg, and Katniss is trying to pull him up. Once they both get atop the cornucopia, I notice that district 2 boy is atop the metal structure too.

I try to recall his name, but nothing comes to mind. I don't really know anything about much of the tributes; I only direct my attention towards Katniss. His breathing is heavy; he must have been running from the mutts for long time.

Katniss, one the other hand, seems to be saying something about the mutts having the same eyes as the tributes, and while she is picking the dogs off with arrows, Peeta is yanked from her side.

The boy from district two has him in a headlock, cutting off his air. Peeta's lips have turned blue. Katniss aims at two, but he just laughs. "If you shoot me, then he comes with me." Several emotions flicker across her face. I recognize them. This is what she looked like when she was about to kill that lynx that kept following us around. I know what she's doing. She's deciding if she should kill Peeta or not.

I am shocked. Peeta makes an x on district two's hand while two rants on about honor for his district, and Katniss still isn't shooting. If she doesn't hurry, Peeta could die, and two could come after her. She pulls back, taking her stance. But before she can let it fly, two hurls Peeta off the edge.

Katniss shoots district two before he could even say anything. He knew he was going to die; he just wanted the satisfaction of killing Peeta. Katniss, with tears rolling down her face, screams for Peeta. There is no canon, so she rushes to the lip of the cornucopia, and sees Peeta fighting off the mutts. She starts to shoot at them but then they run off, and disappear into a gaping hole in the ground. Katniss climbs down to help Peeta.

Besides his leg, he looks virtually unharmed. Just a few cuts here and there. I wonder what held the mutts back. Obviously they were being controlled, but I wonder what prompted them to barely hurt him? Then it hits me. The mutts weren't the season finale. The season finale has just begun.

I wipe my hands on my pants, trying to dry off my sweaty palms. "You were going to let me die," Peeta croaks out. "You. You tried to kill me," he says. Tears brim Katniss' eyes. "No, Peeta its….its not like that. I wasn't sure what to do, if I shot Cato then you would have died too!"

"Well, now I'm going to die with that on my conscience," Peeta begins. "No you're not going to die, we will win together remember? We're a team," Katniss says. That's when the speakers turn on.

"Ladies and gentlemen. The current rule that states there can be two winners has been…. revoked. There can only be one winner of the Games. Thank you." There is a sound of static, and then its silent. Katniss pulls out the night lock berries. What is she doing? What is she doing?!

"Peeta," she begins. "No, I'm not letting you do it," Peeta says. "Peeta, come on, together," she pleads. " I'm not letting you. You have to win. I'm nothing without you," Peeta says.

"On three ok?" Peeta takes a handful of berries from Katniss. "Ok," he says. He clutches Katniss' hand. "I love you," he says. Katniss doesn't say anything. "One." Everything is going in slow motion around me. "Katniss," I say quietly.

The reality that she will kill herself slowly seeps in. I run to the kitchen, shaking. I can't watch. I won't watch. In a moment of rage, I grab the nearest chair and throw it at the wall. It breaks in pieces. I see the sharp edges of the chair leg that broke off. Sharp. I consider just stabbing myself through the heart, but I need to take care of Prim and my family. I'm stuck in this world. With, or without Katniss.

"Two." I start to scream, and my mother runs in. "Gale what in the world?" she exclaims. "She's going to kill herself!" I shout. "Three." My mother starts to hug me, and I keep shaking uncontrollably.

"Wait, wait stop! Ladies and gentlemen, the victors of the 74th hunger games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!" the TV announces. All sound jams in my throat like glue. Katniss is coming home. I run to the battered TV and see Katniss clutching Peeta tightly.

I fall to my knees. "She's coming home," I say quietly. I'm not sure if this is the time to smile or not, but my mouth quirks up on one side. "She's coming home," I say to myself.

I think I fall asleep on the floor, because I wake up with a blanket atop me. I shudder. The hardwood floor does little to warm me up. I slowly sit up. I peel the blanket off my body, and continue folding and unfolding it until Vick walks in.

"Katniss is coming home," I say. "I'm aware," he says lightly. I chuckle. Vick has always had an easy going personality, and he some how manages to make me smile even at my worst times.

I stand up, and I jump when I hear a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" Vick announces. I put the blanket in the closet, and proceed back to the living room. "Gale, a girl is here for you!" he shouts. I walk to the front door. That's when I see Madge.

She is standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Gale, can I talk to you?" I nod my head and lead her outside.

She stands in front of me expectantly, waiting for me to say something. "Hi," is all I can manage to think of. She gives me a ghost of a smile. "Gale, about the other day," she begins. Color rushes to my cheeks. I forgot that she thinks I like her back, since I did virtually nothing when she kissed me.

I try to avoid her icy blue eyes. "Gale, I really, really like you." I don't really know what to say.

I don't feel the same way, and I don't know how to tell her without hurting her feelings. "Madge, I don't feel the same way about you," I state.

A hurt look crosses her face, but she recovers quickly. "Gale I-" she begins. "I think you should go," I say. She nods her head and leaves. I search my heart for any left over emotions. I don't find anything.

I should go back inside. But I don't.

I walk to the Hob, trying to forget the past events. I have been with plenty of girls, but once I realized I was in love with Katniss, I tried to limit my interacting with women. Everyone at the Hob seems in good spirits. Why wouldn't they? Many people here are really fond of Katniss, they are obviously happy she is coming home. I go see Rhymer, the woman who sells necklaces and bracelets. She is a short, thin old woman; with a hunched back and eyes so light they almost look white. "Didn't know that boys were fond of jewelry," she jokes. I don't visit her a lot, but sometimes Katniss and I go see her if we want to get Prim a present for her birthday. She's kind and funny, and I have always been fond of her.

After picking through some necklaces, I find a silver necklace with a small bird charm. Simple, yet beautiful. Just like Katniss. "Ah, that's a good one. Special girl?" she asks. I nod my head. "How much?" I ask. "Take it," she says. She smiles at me, her bright eyes shine happily. "She is a special girl, Gale. You two are lucky to have each other," she says warmly. "Thank you," I say. I place it carefully in my pocket. I walk home.

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**Sorry if this chapter is pretty sucky. I was kind of rushing, but I will try to take my time with the rest of the chapters. Thanks for the support and reviews, I'll try to post weekly. But no promises! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

The next few days go by in a blur. Full of glittery outfits and gushing emotions, I barely have enough time to register my feelings.

Part of me wants Katniss to be lying. I want her to love me, and only me. But I l know there is love for Peeta, and no matter how aggravated it makes me, I grit my teeth and bare it.

As I walk to the train station with Prim, I can't help but smile at her bouncing bubbliness. Her two braids fly out as she skips along, holding my hand.

I admire how Prim sees all of the beauty of the world. She can somehow see the light, no matter how small the sliver it is. She goes on about how nice it is outside, and how excited she is to see Katniss while I smile and look ahead. Soon I will have my Katniss back.

Once we arrive at the train station, I have to put Prim on my shoulders so she can see. She barely weighs anything. I can hardly register the weight on my shoulders while she shifts to get confortable. The square is tightly pact with people wearing tight smiles. District 12 has never been known for its good looks, but today, I feel like everything is especially pretty. Maybe because District 12's most beautiful girl is coming home.

The train pulls into the station, and the crowd cheers deafeningly loud. Prim is clapping and cheering on my shoulders. But I stay silent. I stand straighter, and even though I clear most of the people around me, I want to get the best glimpse of Katniss I can get.

The doors slide open, and Peeta walks out. His golden hair is slicked back and shiny, and he flashes a smile.

I wait for Katniss to come out, but she never does.

I search my mind for the most logical reason she isn't stepping out of that train. She could be late. She could run out of the car and laugh, saying she got lost in the gigantic vehicle.

That's when I remember, Katniss is never late.

The crowd quiets down, confused. The second victor hasn't come out.

Prim says quietly, "Where's Katniss?" I stare straight ahead, trying to find her. Imagine where she is, like I so often do with prey. I see the District 12 escort, Effie Trinket, step out of the train. Her hair is ridiculously green, filled with pearls. Her face must have at least 6 coats of different makeup on. She wears a tight smile, like she is bearing bad news.

No.

Katniss, won.

She made it.

She couldn't be…

"One of District 12's victors, Katniss Everdeen, is not here with us today because…she is currently in a coma."

I make a small choking sound in the back of my throat. I don't know if I should be relieved. It's better than dead I guess. But she might as well be dead.

"No one is currently allowed to see her but close family members," Effie begins. "More information will be out on her condition soon, but until then, her current state will be kept in secret."

No one really knows what to do. Peeta is back. Alive. Well. It should be Katniss, not this five foot one idiot. I take Prim off of my shoulders, and hold her hand. I stay strong, for her sake. She must have been thinking the same thing, because she says nothing, and keeps her face clear of any signs of pain. I'm grateful, because I think the one who really needs strength is me.

The crowd soon disperses, and I guide Prim back home. Once we arrive, I find her mother is wearing a pained expression, her blue eyes glossy. Her face is splotchy. She walks into Katniss' room.

I follow her.

She was always so strong. So guarded. But now, fragile and pale, I feel like she good break to pieces with one touch. I tell myself not to cry. Even though she isn't awake, I feel lie she would want me to be strong for her.

That's what I do.

I pull up a chair to her bed, and hold her hand. I clutch her hand so tightly my knuckles turn white. I feel like if I squeeze her hand hard enough, it will be enough to wake her up.

I'm sure she can't hear me, but I talk to her anyway.

I speak nonstop. I tell her about hunting, and the Hob, and how everyone has been doing.

Eventually, I'm reduced to a blubbering fool, talking and sobbing nonstop.

"I remember…when I first met you, you were so quiet. I saw that look in your eyes, and I instantly knew we would become friends. You were a real pain sometimes, but everything was worth it…" I say.

"I…I remember when you fell and twisted your knee, and I carried you home. And we fell into the stream. And when I first realized I…I loved you, we were in the Hob, eating some soup of Greasey Sae's.

Darius kept flirting with you, and all I wanted to do was punch him in the face." I chuckle at the memory with tears in my eyes. "I'm sorry…I know you would want me to be strong. But its…its just so hard…" I sputter. "Katniss…I…I love you so much," I whisper. I press the heels of my hands into my eyes, trying to push out all of the tears threatening to come out of my eyes. I don't know how long I stay there, but when I wake up, its morning. I'm reluctant to leave, but I need to find out how this happened.

I quietly leave the room, as if not to wake her. But I don't even know if she's ever waking up. I see her mother sitting at the table, her eyes fixated on some point in the distance. "What happened to Katniss?" I say. I really have no idea what to expect, but all I need I answers. "The doctors in the Capitol told me… that the initial shock of the games made her collapse…" The backs of my eyes start to sting with tears, and I try to swallow them, but they keep rising like the bile in the back of my throat. "She was fine during the interviews," I choke out. "Yes but…someone mentioned the girl she teamed up with. Rue, the little girl from District 11. She collapsed, and then…didn't wake up." I slowly nod my head and say nothing.

I go back into her room. I try to imagine that she's just sleeping, and I'll get to see the scowl on her face and her crystalline grey eyes. I cross over to her bed and plant a kiss on her head.

I run my fingers along her face, along the scars, her lips, her eyes. I want her to wake up. I want her to be with me, so we can go hunting and trade at the Hob. She once told me I couldn't wish my life away. But it's hard to do when all I want is for her to wake up.

Time is of no importance to me anymore. I spend my hours at her side for the rest of the day, focused on her face. I love her so much it hurts. It hurts knowing she doesn't love me.

Her mother walks in, probably bearing more news. She says nothing, and crouches next to my chair. I can't really tell what she's feeling; her face is stony. I always thought she was stripped of all of her emotions, so she has nothing left.

I wonder if I'll be like that.

"She'll live. She might have a concussion though, possibly amnesia," she states. "So she might not remember me?" I say. My voice cracks, and I mentally slap myself for sounding so weak. "Possibly. She will most likely wake up, but what she remembers is not something I can predict," she says. She leaves the room, and I'm left alone again. Even though Katniss is with me,

she feels so far away.

When I wake up, grey sunlight shines through the window. I place a kiss on her cheek and leave. I need to do something to preoccupy my mind. As I leave, I take in the early signs of fall. The trees are beginning to change a little; the grey-greens are not as bright and prominent. I remember how Katniss would always savor the fall. The last season before winter. Her favorite time of year was early Spring I think.

I savor the cool air rushing into my nose and tunneling down my throat. I don't really know why I'm cold, but I appreciate the slap of reality. I cling onto it. Because it's the only thing I can hold onto right now.

I don't know where I'm going.

Away.

But I can't leave.

I reach the fence.

I don't know what's keeping me back.

The electricity is off.

The woods seem inviting.

I know what's keeping me back.

Katniss.

I'm by Katniss again. Her presence is like a magnet. I am internally drawn to her. I don't know why.

I just am.

I sit next to her. My body assumes its hunched position. I hold her hand.

I stay like that for a while.

I look at the floor for a long time.

Then I feel her fingers move.

And then I see her eyelids flutter.

Then I see them open.

"Gale?"

I don't think I've ever felt so alive.

I pull her into my arms, and clutch her tightly. I hold all my tears back. She remembers me. She's awake. She's alive.

I smile at her. I smile so much my cheeks hurt.

"Gale, have you seen Rue?" she says.

"What?"

"Rue. Do you know where she is?" She says.

Then I feel my smile disappear.

I bite my lip, unsure of what to say.

Her mother comes in the room, and seeing her awake turned something on inside of her I haven't seen for a long time.

She rushes to Katniss, tears streaming down her eyes. Katniss looks confused. "Mom, where's Rue?" Katniss says once more. Her mother pulls away, frowning. "Katniss. Rue…is dead," she says. A conflicted look crosses her face. "But the…the tracker jackers…" her voice trails off. "Katniss," I say slowly. She looks at me wide eyed. "She's dead," she states. I nod my head. She starts crying. I hold her in my arms and sit next to her on the bed. I pull her onto my lap while stroking her hair.

Throughout the day, people come into visit her. She seems to remember everyone. She remembers the Games, but seems to get events mixed up.

Peeta comes in last.


	6. Chapter 6

**You have no idea how accomplished I feel right now. This chapter was the longest one I've written! I hope you guys like it. I don;t know if I should end up with their relationship more on the romantic side or more on the friendship side. It's so hard to decide, because in the movies and books Gale was so swag I don't even know how to put him in words. Well, anyways, I hope you like this new (and long) chapter!**

**And thanks for the reviews too! **

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Peeta timidly walks in, his curly blonde hair falling over his eyes. Katniss seems to recognize him, because her grey eyes widen. "Peeta, you're here!" Peeta smiles, and I see why Katniss likes him so much. He seems like a ray of light wherever he goes, and I can see the note of gentleness in his eyes. I wish I could be like that.

He sits next to Katniss on the bed, but he's practically lying down with her, so I feel kind of awkward. Peeta looks at me gratefully, like I was the one who woke her up. I feel like his gratitude is misdirected.

I don't feel like I did anything.

He holds Katniss in his arms and she buries her face into his chest. She looks happy.

She didn't look happy until Peeta came in.

I feel the usual tug of jealousy in my heart, but it's not as strong as it usually is. Seeing Katniss happy makes me happy.

I think that's all I need right now.

I can tell why Peeta did so well in the interviews. He can seem to weave his words into a complicated tapestry; avoiding all topics that have to do with the Games unless Katniss brings it up. Watching Katniss is like seeing an animal awake from hibernation.

By the end of Peeta's visit, Katniss seems much more clear on the past events, and she seems calm.

I think the world needs more Peetas.

Soon I'm left alone with Katniss. I don't know if I should be relieved or anxious. I feel like I'm walking into a performance I haven't practiced for. And Peeta's act is going to be tough to beat.

I decide to just be me.

I hold her hand and talk about Prim and District 12. "How's Madge doing?" I bite my lip. The guilt I never thought would register has settled into my heart. "She's fine…" I decide to tell her what happened later.

I'm surprised she remembers who Madge is at all.

We sit in comfortable silence, until she says, "lets go hunting." I've been waiting all day for her to say that.

I hold her hand while she stands up, and her feet bare her weight well. Prim raises her eyebrows at the sight of seeing Katniss walking, but she smiles and gives me a nod of the head. "Ready?" Katniss nods. While she goes to get changed, I sit at the table with Prim. "I think you were the one who woke her up Gale," she says. I look at her and say nothing, mainly because I can't think of anything.

The idea is preposterous. "You spoke to her, and stayed with her. I think you woke her up. I don't know how, I just feel it," Prim begins. Once Katniss walks in, I stand up. I silently pray she didn't here any of that. She acts like she heard nothing at all.

I kind of hope she didn't.

As we walk through Victor's Village, she seems to mold into the old Katniss I know and love. People seem to smile at the sight of us together.

I remember the necklace.

Once we reach the fence she stops. "Gale, what are we doing here?" I look at her questioningly. "We…we go here all the time Katniss. Into the woods. We go hunting. All we have to do is crawl under the fence," I explain to her. "Oh," is all she says. I crawl under the two-foot stretch in the fence, and she follows.

We go to the hollow log that holds our bows, and she takes hers in hand. She shifts it in her freckled hands a little. She takes the quiver and slings it over her shoulder.

I guess she remembers how to shoot.

We walk along, and while I set some snares, she takes down two rabbits. I smile. If I pretend hard enough, this could be just like old times.

We walk to the pond, and she takes off her shoes and dips her feet in. I sit down next to her, and skim my hand over the surface.

"We used to swim here," she says.

"Yeah, we did." I remember when she taught me to swim here.

I'm lost in my thoughts, and then Katniss pushes me in.

I don't know which was more shocking.

The surge of cold running through my body, or the fact Katniss just pushed me into the lake.

I smile when I see her laughing. "Can you at least help me out?" She looks at me hesitantly. "Yeah, right Gale. If I try and pull you out, you'll just pull me in," she states. I laugh.

I haven't laughed in a long time.

I get out of the water and walk towards her. "Gale what are you doing?" I grab her and sling her over my shoulder, walking towards the waters edge. She's laughing, and says "Gale, don't you dare!" My feet are in the water, and I slip off my soggy boots and kick them aside. "Put me down!" I smile. "Ok, whatever you say!" I throw her into the water. I jump in with her. She comes out the water and spits it in my face. I splash her. "Hey!" she laughs. We swim around for a little afterwards, and then we stand in the middle of the pond, our toes squishing the grey mud. "This is fun, she says," I nod my head and look at her.

I've never met anyone so beautiful.

Her grey eyes are glinting with happiness, and I notice the little flecks of blue in the center. Her hair is dark and half up from her braid. I reach my hand to her face and gently take out the hair tie. I take her braid out. Her hair falls in dripping locks over her shoulders.

I'm not really sure what I'm doing, even though I've been with plenty of girls before. It mostly was just fooling around at the slagheap, but I don't think I've ever loved someone so much until now.

I press my forehead to hers, and smile. I have never been so content in my life until now. She closes her eyes. I close mine.

We stay like this for a long time.

I run my hands down her arms and we walk out of the pond together.

We sit on the muddy banks and I pick at the grass. She draws swirls in the mud. I think I saw her draw a heart, but I must have been seeing things.

The sun sits high in the sky, and I'm already starting to dry out. I reach into my pocket, and unzip the zipper. I am relieved to find the necklace in my pocket, and I slowly pull it out. "What's that?" I reach my arm out and place it in her hands.

"Its for you," I say.

"Really?" Katniss smiles. She has never really liked gifts, but she seems to like it so I feel accomplished.

"Who else would it be for Catnip?"

She smiles at me, and I stare back at her. She starts to lean in, and closes her eyes. We are centimeters apart, our noses touching. The breeze has stopped; the twittering chatter of the birds has ceased. For a moment in time, I truly think the loves me.

But she loves Peeta.

I make a small choking noise in the back of my throat, and pull away. She looks perplexed, but slightly shakes her head. She puts the necklace on and twirls it between her fingers.

"We should probably start heading back. It's starting to get dark." Its true, a dusting pink coats the sky, and night will surely fall soon. "Right," she says.

We make our way back, and we get 3 squirrels with my snares and she shoots 2 more rabbits. With our game bags full, we pick up the pace and head to the fence.

Once we arrive, I can hear the crickets chirping, hidden away in the grass. A light purple has painted the sky. I'm about to walk over to the fence, but she grabs my arm. "Wait," she says. She walks toward it, and stands very still. "What are you-" "Shh!" she interrupts. "It's on," she states.

"What?"

"The fence is on. We can't crawl under," she says.

I think of the options. We could climb a tree and jump over, but with Katniss just coming out of a coma, I don't think that's a good idea.

"We could stay until morning. It's evening. We almost never have electricity in the morning. It's out best chance. If it's still on, we can climb a tree and jump over," she says.

I don't think we have any other option, so I nod my head. "But where do we stay?" I ask. "We could go to the little cabin near the pond. Where my dad used to take me, remember?" I look at her questioningly. She usually doesn't like us going inside, because it reminds her of her dad.

We walk back to the pond anyway.

Once we arrive at the little cabin, a blue night sky twinkles above us. She pushes the door open. It can't even be called a cabin really. It's really tiny. 12 feet square, one room. The concrete walls release a hazy glow in the dark.

"I'll go get some wood for a fire," she says. I nod my head in assent. I sit in the middle of the floor, trying to figure out why the electricity was on. It's never on.

Before I'm buried too deep in my thoughts, Katniss returns with a large amount of kindling in her arms. She sets it down on the floor, and gets the fire started with two sticks. I look at her scarred hands. Strong, but thin. Perfect, but imperfect. I remember why I fell in love with her in the first place.

She gets a spark, and then sits back triumphantly. Fire slowly eats up the crackling wood, engulfing the room with a hazy orange glow. "Good job Catnip," I say. "Well, I wasn't called the Girl on Fire for nothing," she smiles. My chest stings at the word. I have never liked the nickname 'Girl on Fire'. It reminds me of her time at the Capitol, and all of the fake glitter and sparkles. When I hear the name, I think she's still in the Games, trying to win sponsors with her fake romance with Peeta.

Well, I can't say fake. She seems like she loves him. I wonder if she loves me, but thinking about it upsets me, so I ignore the feeling.

"Are you hungry?" she asks. I shake my head. Thoughts of the Games fill my stomach and heart with a sick feeling, and it leaves no room for hunger.

"I'm not really hungry either. I feel like my stomach has shrunk to the size of a walnut," she laughs. "We can just eat tomorrow," I say. She nods her head and slowly stands up.

"I think there might be some blankets around here somewhere." She crosses over to the battered wooden closet. There is a sheet and a quilt inside. "It's better than nothing," she says. She lays the sheet onto the ground and puts the quilt on top. "There. A really crappy bed," she laughs. I smile.

I don't have time to ponder over the fact Katniss and I will be sleeping in close quarters. I try to get as comfortable as possible, and I can tell Katniss is trying to shift into a good spot. She uses her arm as a pillow and faces me.

The quilt smells like hickory and apples. It's pretty small, so Katniss and I have to be pretty close to being completely covered up. I'm to tall for it, so my feet peak out of the blanket. She smiles at me. "Goodnight Gale," she says. "Goodnight," I say yawning. I close my eyes.

I don't know how long I have been asleep, but I wake up to the sound of screaming.

My eyes slowly open, as if they were glued shut. I only see darkness at first, but my eyes adjust to the lack of light. I see Katniss thrashing around screaming. I have dealt with Posy's nightmares, but I have never seen anything this serious. I sit up and place my hands on her shoulders. "Katniss, its ok," I say gently. I realize there is no other way to wake her without scaring her, so I shake her shoulders lightly until she awakens. Her eyes open abruptly, and she is breathing heavily. I touch a hand to her cheek. She flinches, but quickly recovers. Still half in the nightmare I guess. "Hey, easy. Its just me," I coo softly. She puts her hands to her face.

I've never seen her look so small.

Even though it's dark, it's easy to see how much she is shaking. I pry her hands from her face and hold them in mine. "Its ok, it was just a nightmare," I whisper. She nods her head slowly, as if she has trouble believing me. I pull her into my arms, and she buries her face into my shirt. I can feel my shirt dampen from her tears. "I'm here. I'll always be here for you," I say quietly. I stroke her hair soothingly until her breathing becomes less rapid. I plant a kiss on top of her head. "Let's try to get some sleep now ok?" She nods her head. I smoothen the blankets back down, and she lies back down. I ease down next to her. She's still shaking slightly. "Are you cold?" She doesn't say anything. I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her closer to me.

She drapes her arm over my side, and snuggles next to me. I pet her hair while she lays her head on my chest. "I'll always be here," I say. She says something back, but I'm too tired to hear what she says.

I fall asleep.

I wake up with Katniss snuggled next to me, her breaths even. Sunlight pours through the windows, and it takes my eyes a while to adjust to the brightness. I stroke Katniss' face as gently as possible, so I don't wake her.

I don't think I have even been happier in my life.

She stirs slightly, and slowly opens her eyes, giving a slight yawn in the process. "Good morning," she smiles. I look back at her, staring into her grey eyes. Deep and full, I get lost in them for a while, and then I see them water with tears. My smile disappears, and I get worried. I touch my hand to her cheek. "What's wrong?" I ask. She shakes her head. She doesn't want to talk about it, so I don't push the subject.

She sits up, stretching her arms. I can't help but compare her to a bird. She stands up slowly, and I watch as she shrugs her father's old hunting jacket back on. I wonder what I did to deserve her.

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**Sorry if the ending is kind of****…how should I put this…bad. I didn't really know how to end it, so I kinda stopped it with a classic "what did I ever do to deserve him/her." I apologize if it was lame, I have been told I could use some swag lessons. ;) Well, expect chapter 7 to be posted soon, i've been trying to write as often as I can. Also, I'm going to be starting a new story too. It's going to be a Katniss and Finnick pairing, and no, Peeta will not be in the picture. I have no idea what the title should be, but expect another story soon! Thanks guys!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Let me just start by saying sorry. I have been having a major writers block, and I was really considering abandoning the story, or putting it up for adoption. Believe it or not, right as I was about to delete this story from the site, I got a text from my best friend and biggest supporter Janice, asking when i would update the next chapter. I would also like to give a shout-out to the following:**

**Samantha, oj2000, hfarrands18, and spectrum700. I can't thank you guys enough for reviewing, you all are the reason I keep writing. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to even read this, I'm really surprised I've gotten so many views. And, you should check out these writers stories too. They are all so amazing. **

**Thanks again you guys!**

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I shake my head quickly. I don't deserve Katniss. She wants to be with Peeta. I mean, why wouldn't she? He's kind, funny; sensitive- I can only dream to be half the guy he is. Jealousy tugs at my heart, and I scowl. I have known Katniss for years. There is no way I'm getting upstaged by some blonde who bakes bread. Katniss may never love me back, but I'm going to keep fighting for her until I die.

"Hey. Gale. You still there?" Katniss waves her hand in front of my face, and I blink. I collect my thoughts.

No more crying.

No more complaining.

I'm going to be strong. I have let sadness control me, and I'm going to fight back. I won't let pain get the best of me. I have always been scared I would lose Katniss. I had feared I already had.

But I never had.

Katniss will always be my Catnip, and I know nothing will change that. I'm over taken with this new confidence that I thought had long disappeared. Sure, I had been with other girls, but it was really just fooling around at the slagheap. No girl stuck like Katniss.

I don't really care what I am to her. All I know is that I'm going to stay by her side forever.

As we slowly make our way back to the fence, I see Katniss growing more and more anxious. "What if the fence is still on?" she asks. I don't really know what to say, because I really have no idea what to expect.

She stops suddenly.

"What if the mutts come back?!"

The look of terror on her face is unmistakable, and I stop short.

"What?"

"The mutts! They might come at any moment! We have to run!" She starts hyperventilating.

I grab her shoulders. "Easy, easy!" She avoids my eyes.

"Its ok, you're with me. You're safe."

Her breathing slows, and she swallows. Her breaths are still heavy. Her pupils are dilated in fear, and she keeps shaking, even though it's warm.

"Do you want to keep walking?"

She nods her head, and we continue. Normally I would comfort her more, or insist that she sits down. But I don't think she wants me to pity her in a way that makes her look weak. I wouldn't want her to do that to me, so I ignore the tears that roll down her face.

I know she doesn't need to be babied.

Because she is strong.

We reach the fence, and Katniss has calmed down almost completely. I listen to the familiar hum of the fence, and hear nothing. "It's off," I say. She nods her head and crawls under the fence. I follow after her.

The early signs of fall are all but unnoticeable, the leaves are turning a friendly shade of orange, and the sky is a crystalline blue. A cool breeze trickles down my body as we trudge down the grassy meadow.

We head to the Hob to get some soup from Greasy Sae, because hunger has already settled into our stomachs from skipping dinner last night. As Sae pours soup into our battered bowls, I stare straight ahead. Even with all of the jumbled chatter floating through the room, I feel a heavy silence settling between Katniss and I. I look at her.

She doesn't seem to mind.

Neither do I.

It's the kind of silence only the best of friends can relish in.

Because sometimes you don't need to use words to show you care about someone.

Once we finish our soup, we head outside.

I see Madge.

She sees me.

She walks over.

I clench my fists, as she walks over. Her blue eyes sparkle with something I can't place. I try to think of something to say, some way to let her down easy. She doesn't even look at me though. She just runs straight over to Katniss and envelopes her in a hug.

I almost sigh in relief, because I'm really happy that she has gotten over me.

"Katniss, thank goodness you're ok! I'm so happy you're back, I've missed you so much!" Her eyes flit to mine for one second, and then she directs her attention back towards Katniss.

At first, I expect Katniss to shrug away from all of the attention. But, her sliver eyes shine with happiness. She smiles at Madge, and I take note of the dimples I almost never see. "Madge, its great to see you," Katniss says.

Its kind of funny how life works.

It seems like the saddest people have the brightest smiles.

"Oh gosh, look at the time. I really need to get back home, but I'll see you around Katniss." Madge looks at me, gives me a ghost of a smile, and walks away.

We walk home, and I stare at the coal dust collecting in the cracks of my boots. That's when I remember. I start working in the mines next week. The idea of being thousands and thousands of feet underground already begins to press into my chest. The mines. Where my father died. Where Katniss' father died.

"Can we do the same thing next week?" Katniss asks me. "I start working in the mines next week, I'm only going to be free on Sundays," I say. Katniss furrows her brow.

We keep walking.

_You're not scared. Be brave. _I keep chanting this in my head, and the more I say it, the more I start to believe it. We arrive at my house in the Seam, and we stop outside the porch. "I'll see you soon," I say. Katniss nods her head and leaves.

I push open the door, and I see my mother sitting at the table. Her forehead is creased, forming deep lines in her face. She looks worried.

"What's wrong?" I ask, walking towards the table.

"Gale, there has been a schedule mix-up in the mines," she begins. "You have to go to the mines…tomorrow."

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**Ok, Chapter 7 is out of the way. Sorry for the short chapter, the next will be longer for sure. I'm really excited, and I have lots of different ideas for the story. Expect chapter 8 to be posted soon, I have all of today and tomorrow to write. Have a nice weekend guys!**


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